Girl and police hurt during disturbance near beach

A teenage girl and police officers have been injured and six people arrested after a fight in gardens near a seafront followed by disorder involving a large group near a pier.

Officers were called to Pier Approach near Bournemouth beach on Monday, just before 19:30 BST, where a large crowd had gathered. Shortly before a fight was also reported in Lower Gardens, police said.

The girl, hurt during the fracas, was taken to hospital and two officers were assaulted as they dealt with the horde and worked to disperse several groups.

Dorset Police said five people were arrested on suspicion of affray and one on suspicion of assault. A dispersal order for the seafront area has been put in place.

The force said two girls from Bournemouth, aged 16 and 17, a 17-year-old girl from Poole and a 35-year-old woman from Poole were arrested on suspicion of affray over the Lower Gardens fight.

A 22-year-old man from Newbury, Berkshire, was arrested on suspicion of assault by beating of an emergency worker in connection with the Pier Approach disorder.

After the crowd near the beach was dispersed officers stayed in the area to carry out patrols and a heightened police presence remains in place in the seafront area.

Local policing commander Ch Sup Heather Dixey said: "Violence and disorder on Bournemouth beach will absolutely not be tolerated and anyone who is identified as being involved will be robustly dealt with.

"I would like to provide some reassurance to our communities that we are taking action and have been working at pace to ensure we have all available resources in place to prevent any disorder.

"The beaches in our area are visited by many families with children and we want them to have a safe and enjoyable time."

The force said a full investigation to identify those involved was under way.

The dispersal order, covering the seafront and the town's public gardens, gives officers additional powers to order anyone who they believe could pose a risk of causing public disorder to leave the area.

After a cycling drum and bass party in and around the seafront on Sunday, police thanked people who went for "behaving appropriately" with no reports of any crime or anti-social behaviour.

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